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Scene in Blount County where sheriff's deputies and volunteers searched for Blake Smith on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Scene in Blount County where sheriff's deputies searched for Blake Smith on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Scene in Blount County where sheriff's deputies searched for Blake Smith on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Scene in Blount County where sheriff's deputies searched for Blake Smith Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Scene in Blount County where sheriff's deputies searched for Blake Smith Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Blount County near East Old Topside Road where volunteers were waiting to search for Blake Smith on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site in Blount County with a cinder block on the gas pedal and his phone and wallet in the car, said his aunt, Jill Brasher Williams. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

About a dozen people gathered at Admiral Farragut Park in Knoxville on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 to search for missing student Blake Smith. Pictured to the far left are Smith's parents, Kim and Jim Smith. Rachel Ohm/ News Sentinel.

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Smith, 20, an aspiring pastor from Trussville, Alabama, was reported missing Sunday after he failed to return to his dorm at Crown College in Powell on Saturday night.

Smith was reportedly last seen Saturday afternoon. He left work at Weed Man Lawn Care and stopped at his dorm before leaving, according to his parents, Jim and Kim Smith.

The Smiths said they used a photo their son posted to Instagram on Saturday afternoon to identify Admiral Farragut Park in Knoxville as his last known location. Blake Smith loved to hike and often took scenic photos, his father said.

On Sunday, Smith's car was found wrecked at a construction site off East Old Topside Road in Louisville, roughly 7½ miles from the park.

The car had crashed into the deck of a home that is under construction, the Blount County Sheriff's Office said. Authorities found Smith's cell phone and other personal belongings at the site. A team of police dogs searched the area but did not find Smith.

Smith's family has said two of his friends initially found his car still running, with a cinder block on the gas pedal, damage to the doors and mirrors and belongings strewn about. His cell phone and wallet were still in the car. The sheriff's office has not confirmed all of those details.

Authorities on Monday recovered a body from Georges Creek, about a half-mile from the construction site, the sheriff's office said. The body was first spotted by a BCSO deputy piloting a drone.

The body was identified as Smith during an autopsy performed Tuesday at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, the sheriff's office said.

Crown College, which includes a Bible school and seminary and enrolls about 500 students, held prayer vigils Sunday and Monday for Smith. A memorial service will also be held at a later date, and many students are grieving, said Vice President of Administration Tim Tomlinson.

"His friends are deeply hurt, but they're trusting," Tomlinson said. "We're people of faith. We trust God and we believe he's with the Lord. There's faith that's very strong in the middle of this, but there's also hurt. He was deeply loved."

CLOSE

Founder and President. Dr. Clarence Sexton asks for your continued prayers regarding the family of Blake Smith.
Submitted by Crown College

Smith occasionally preached at his home church, Mountain View Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The church uploaded videos of his sermons to its YouTube channel, most recently on New Year's Eve.

In that sermon, Smith read from the fourth chapter of the book of James in the Bible.

He asked congregants to mark verse 14: "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away."

Reporter Travis Dorman can be reached at travis.dorman@knoxnews.com or on Twitter @travdorman.